STEVE McClaren will return from his Florida holiday in a fortnight to take up a new post as manager of Middlesbrough.

STEVE McClaren will return from his Florida holiday in a fortnight to take up a new post as manager of Middlesbrough.

Manchester United's number two is believed to have shaken hands on a deal to become Bryan Robson's successor at the Riverside and end his 27-month Old Trafford career.

But McClaren's appointment is set to force out Reds legend Robbo on Teesside despite his close friendship with Boro chairman Steve Gibson.

Sir Alex Ferguson's 40-year-old right- hand man is also expected to bring in his own men and that will in turn spell the end of former United players Viv Anderson and Gordon McQueen who have formed Robson's backroom staff in the north east.

meeting

McClaren has turned down overtures from West Ham and Southampton to take the reins at Boro. He met Gibson yesterday and the deal is believed to be done and dusted, and will be rubber-stamped when both Gibson and McClaren return from their breaks.

Gibson flew to Singapore believing he'd captured the most sought-after young coach in the country and will install him as manager at Boro.

McClaren's insistence on bringing in his own backroom staff will raise questions over Terry Venables' future at the Riverside. The former England boss was brought in to answer Boro's relegation SOS in mid-season and masterminded their escape.

But Venables has agreed a new five-year television contract with ITV and has in principle also said yes to a part-time consultancy role at Middlesbrough.

vacancy

McClaren's anticipated exit will obviously leave a vacancy at Old Trafford for Fergie to fill.

But it will pose problems for the Reds, as any new coach would have only a short-term guarantee of employment .

With Fergie retiring next summer, any new manager taking up the Reds post is likely to bring in his own backroom team.

The United manager could decide to go into his final season as Old Trafford boss with just current first-team coach Jim Ryan alongside him.

Former player Brian McClair could be a stop-gap successor. He has been helping out in the background for the Reds in recent months having come back on board to check out potential links with Australia, and has also just taken his UEFA coaching badge.

McClair left United with Kidd to become his number two at Ewood and was initially reported to have fallen out with Fergie over his exit, but the fact the Scot has been back working for the Reds suggests any breakdown in his relationship with Ferguson is now mended.